Third to daniel s



v (No Model.)

C. W. HOWLETT.

RAIL BRAKE.

No. 481,029. Patented Aug. 16, 1892.

e 51 m W Q w $33533 M Q I I. Q::::: T I. E52 z a K m r W f r i f x iazzzzag l). 0 M w\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ E III wMfiiiE l NITED STATES FFICE.

ATENT CHARLES WV. HOWLETT, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO DANIEL S. GERBER, OF SAME PLACE.

RAI L-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 481,029, dated August16, 1892.

Application filed February 27, 1892. Serial No. 423,038. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES W. HOWLETT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Brakes; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in rail-brakes specially adaptedfor use on cable cars; and one of the objects of the invention is toprovide a simple and efiective railbrake which can be adjusted tocompensate for wear, so as to keep its sole in proper position Withrelation to the rail.

A further object of my invention is to provide a retaining case or clampfor holding the brake-sole and from which the sole can be readilyremoved when desired.

WVith these ends in View my invention consists in the combination of acase or clamp suitably connected to a car, a movable plate within saidcase, a brake-sole arranged in the case below and detachably connectedto the movable plate therein, and adjusting-screws passing through theinclosing case or clamp and adapted to move the movable plate and theattached brake-sole therein.

My invention further consists of the peculiar construction andarrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully pointed out andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of arail-brake shoe constructed in accordance with my invention detachedfrom the car. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig.3 is an end view. Fig. 4 is a similar view with the end plate removed,and Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line was ofFig. 2.

Like letters of reference denote correspond ing parts in all the figuresof the drawings, referring to which A designates the inclosing shell orclamp of my improved rail-brake, which shell .is of any suitable anddesirable material, form, and proportions.

The shell or case A is open at the lower side and ends, and the sides ofsaid case or shell are provided at their ends with recesses or notchesB, which form short upwardly-extending lugs or pins 0.

The sides of the case or shell A are connected by bolts D, which passthrough suitable apertures in the sides and extend across the open endsof the shell near the lower end thereof, the ends of the bolts havingthe nuts cl.

Within the shell or case A is arranged a movable horizontal plate F,which extends almost the entire length of the case A and is provided onits under surface with a series of projecting spurs or teeth G. Theplate F is connected to the lower ends of two operatingscrews H, whichextend upwardly through the top of the case or shell A, and are providedat or near their upper ends with a series of apertures L, adapted toreceive short bars or rods or a wrench when it is desired to rotate saidscrews to lower or raise the plate F with the shell A.

The upper parts of the adjusting-screws, which lie above the shell orcase A, are normally protected and covered by the remov able caps M. Thecaps or covers M are held in position by means of locking levers orcatches N, which are centrally pivoted to the top of the shell A, nearthe ends thereof. One arm of each latch is adapted to enter an annulargroove 0, formed near the lower end of each cap M, and the other end orarm of the latch N extends beyond the ends of the case A, for a purposeto be explained.

Coiled springs P are connected at their lower ends to the case A, andthe upper ends of said springs are adapted to be connected to the trucksof the car to which the brake is applied, said springs serving to takeup the slack of brake when released.

A brake-sole Q, preferably made of wood, is arranged within the shell orcase A and extends for some distance below the lower edge thereof. Thesole Q is held in position by means of the spurs or teeth G on the underside of the movable plate F, and by dogs R, which are pivotallyconnected to the ends of the plate F and provided on their inner faceswith one or more spurs -or prongs S, which take into the ends of thebrake-sole. Longitudinal movement of the sole Q within the shellA isprevented by means of the bolts D, which extend across the open ends ofthe shell and connect the sides thereof.

The lower edges of the sides of the shell A are preferably roughened toenable the shell to have a firm hold on the brake-sole.

The open ends of the case or shell A are closed by means of detachableplates T. Each of these plates T is provided with projections S, adaptedto take into the notches B, and said end plates are held in position bythe outer ends of the latches N, extending across the upper edgesthereof or fitting in a notch formed in the upper edge. (See Fig. 6).

The rail-brake hereinbefore described is designed to be connected to acable or other car by any desired and suitable means.

The operation and advantages of my invention may be briefly stated asfollows: As the brake-sole Q becomes worn, the screws H are operated tolower the plate F and the sole Q attached thereto. hen it is desired toreplace the Worn sole by a new one, the end plates T are removed and thedogs R are disengaged from the ends of the sole and the same easilyremoved and a newone placed in position.

I am aware that changes in the form and proportion of parts and detailsof construction of my invention may be made without departing from thespirit or sacrificing the advantages thereof, and I therefore reservethe right to make such changes as fairly fall within the scope of myinvention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Arail-brake shoe consisting of an inclosing case or shell,a movableplate arranged in said shell, a brake sole connected to said plate, andmeans for moving said plate and sole vertically within the inclosingshell, substantially as described.

2. A rail-brake shoe consisting of an inclosing case or shell, 2.horizontal movable plate arranged within the shell, a brake-soleconnected to said plate, and adj listing-screws supported in the shelland adapted to move the plate and sole vertically therein, substantiallyas described.

A rail-brake shoe consisting of an inclosing case or shell, a horizontalmovable plate arranged within the shell, a brake-sole fitted in theinclosing shell, the dogs pivotally connected to the movable plate andengaging with the ends of the sole, and means for adjusting the plateand sole vertically within the shell, substantially as described.

4. In arail-brake shoe, the combination of the inclosing shell open atits lower end, a brakesole fitted within and extending below said shell,ahorizontal plate fitted in the shell above the sole and provided on itsunder surface with a series of spurs, which engage with the brakesole,the dogs pivoted to the plate and engaging with the ends of thebrake-sole, and the operating-screws connected to the movable plate andextending through the inclosing shell, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

5. The combination of an inclosing shell open at its lower side and atits ends, bolts connecting the sides and extending across the open ends,the end plates arranged to close the ends of the shell, the coiledsprings connected to said shell and adapted to be connected to thetrucks of the car, a brake-sole fitted within the shell, and means foradjusting said sole vertically within the shell, substantially asdescribed.

6. The combination of the inclosing shell open at its ends and lowerside, the bolts connecting the sides and extending across the open ends,the removable plates adapted to close the ends, a brake-sole fittedwithin and extending below the inclosing shell, a plate arranged withinthe shell and detachably connected to the sole, adj usting-screwsconnected to said plate and extending above the inclosing shell,removable caps fitted over the exposed portions of the adjusting-screws,and the levers or catches pivoted on the inclosing shell and operatingto confine the removable caps and the detachable end plates in place,substantially as described.

7. The combination, with a shell or case and a brake-sole, of anadjustable plate within the shell and engaging the sole along its upperside and at its ends, and means for adjusting the plate, substantiallyas described.

8. The combination, with a shell, a sole, and an adj usting-screw, of aprotection-case fitted on the screw, an end plate fitted to the open endof the case, and a latch arranged to engage both the protection-case andthe end plate, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES XV. HOXVLETT. lVitnesses:

THOS. L. EASLEY, JAMEs A. WEST.

